All Fore Revenge

by Piper Denna

  Erin smiled and hugged me when we were introduced. When Emily released my hand to take her mother’s, I felt a pang of jealousy, mixed with high regard for the mother of such a warm and loving little girl. I’d come to see Emily wasn’t desperate for a mother or female attention at all. Rather, she trusted implicitly her daddy’s opinion of other people, and followed his lead. Her immediate love for me was merely an extension of Cam’s.

  Crammed into her little Mercedes convertible, we listened as Erin told me, “There were a few points your husband didn’t agree to. One was the, ah, surgical procedure.” She looked sideways at me, and I knew she wanted to avoid explaining vasectomy to Emily. “He wanted to talk with you in person about that.”

  Well, I intended to let him off the hook on that point, anyway.

  “So these are the amended proposals. If you agree to them, sign them and I’ll get them filed. An amicable agreement speeds things through the courts, but who knows what a judge might still throw at us if he gets a wild hair. It might be a career move for certain judges to drag out your case because of its notoriety.”

  *

  Cam unloaded our luggage in my driveway. We kissed Emily goodbye and then used my keys to enter the house through the front door.

  It was tomb-silent and lonely inside. Three stacks of mail sat on the kitchen island—one of Bill’s, one of mine, and one for the house. So Bill had begun the process of sorting out our lives. This comforted me some, but when would he start actually opening his mail? Surely all the little day-to-day tasks I’d done for him wouldn’t be relegated to a personal assistant and accountant. Either way, it wasn’t my job to worry about him anymore.

  I leaned into Cam, a coping strategy I seemed to be using more and more frequently.

  “Home sweet home, huh?” he asked against my hair. I tipped my face up and he kissed me, brushing his fingers carefully past the bruise on my temple. “Funny how we ended up back here like this.” The kiss deepened. “Alone.” The sweet tongue teased mine. “One o’clock.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Destiny.” My hands dug in his hair and I pushed my breasts against him.

  He lifted me by my bottom and set me on the counter.

  “Ali, your wounds…”

  “I’m Fine. Please, let’s do it.” To help convince him, I kissed along his jaw back toward his ear, took the lobe between my lips.

  He groaned, and I sensed victory was near. “Babydoll, I don’t wanta hurt you…”

  “Cam. Jesus.” I linked my ankles behind his butt and pulled him toward me, unabashedly groping him inside his shorts. With one look in his eyes, I could see how much he wanted me. He was worried about hurting me, but I was certain I’d die if we didn’t make love soon. “Please. I want you so much.”

  His eyelids lowered and he kissed me again, all insistent tongue and sucking need.

  I slid my hands up over his big biceps and clung to him, knowing I was in for the ride of my life. It seemed so fitting for us to be back here, at this time of day, making a new beginning where our love first started.

  “Ahem.”

  We pulled apart and I looked over Cam’s shoulder to see Bill, standing at the foot of the stairs.

  “Oh! Bill.” Annoyed by his intrusion, I couldn’t help but wonder what made the kinky fuck alert us to his presence. Surely watching us would have been a thrill for him. “Hi.”

  “I, uh, thought I heard something. I was upstairs.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t expect you to be home.”

  “Obviously.”

  “We’re, um, on our way to New York,” I said. Cam’s hands stayed possessively around my back. “I needed to pick up some clothes.” Remembering his dig about me being nothing without him, I had to brag. “Did the boys tell you I’ll be on the Today Show tomorrow?”

  Bill stared daggers at Cam’s backside, looked sideways out the window toward the pool, and then walked over to an end table.

  Cam must have wondered why Bill hadn’t answered, because he turned to face him.

  “I think this belongs to you,” Bill said with one brow raised in question. He tossed something small, which Cam caught neatly. “Pool guy said it got stuck in the intake of the vacuum. I’ll leave you to it, then.” He turned on his heel and went upstairs, leaving Cam holding my defecting IUD while I giggled against his chest.

  “Well, I guess we’ve been foiled again, haven’t we?” I sighed against Cam’s neck. “Shit. I better go upstairs and get my stuff.”

  Cam lifted me down from the counter.

  I leaned in for another long kiss until Cam pushed me away, grinning.

  “Sex maniac,” he teased. “Go get your stuff so we can leave.” He sent me on my way with a swift pat to the rear.

  Up in the master bedroom. Bill sat on the unmade bed, morosely watching TV. His eyes followed me to my closet, where I rummaged through various outfits for something both appropriate and formerly loose in the bust area.

  “You got my proposals from your lawyer?” he finally asked, standing in the door of the closet.

  “Um. Yes. I haven’t looked them over yet. Listen, Bill, about the vasectomy thing…”

  “Ali, I need to talk to you about that.”

  I heard Cam’s footsteps up the stairs. Looking out for me, in case Bill took up the threats again.

  “Don’t worry about it. I can’t ask you to do it,” I said.

  “What? Why not?” he asked. Was it the light from the closet, or did Bill have some pretty big bags under his eyes?

  Cam’s steps stopped in the bedroom door and Bill glanced that way.

  I took a deep breath and answered, “Well, the thing is, it wouldn’t be right for me to deny you another family if you decide…”

  “Ali, I understand, after what your dad did. It’s just…”

  “I know. It’s private and invasive. And to be honest, I’m pregnant. I only found out last week.”

  “Oh.” Bill’s face turned a little green.

  “You’re not the father.” I knew he wasn’t. Besides my gut instinct, the timing was wrong.

  “I know. Ali, I got a vasectomy six years ago, while you were in Colorado.”

  The dress I was holding slid to the floor. “Huh?”

  My mind raced. All this time he’d been infertile? And let me go on using my own birth control?

  “My lawyer recommended talking the doctor into fudging the papers so it looked like a recent surgery, but I couldn’t bring myself to cheat you out of so much. What you were willing to pass up just for the boys, when most wives would be after every dime they could get… I couldn’t. I want you to have the Mustang, and half of our savings. I paid off the house, against the accountant’s advice.”

  “Well. That’s…” I was angry, yet stunned he was offering me so much in apology, or out of guilt, whichever. “… appropriate?”

  He nodded. “Are you okay? Will said you’d been shot by Shurre’s uncle.” His eyes searched me up and down, as if looking for evidence of my injury.

  “Yeah, it was quite an ordeal. I’m fine.”

  “Pregnant again, huh? You were so cute pregnant.” Bill twisted a chunk of my hair around his finger, a wistful look in his eyes.

  Cam cleared his throat.

  “Congratulations, then,” Bill said with a genuine smile to me. He held his hand out to shake Cam’s. “And Ali, congratulations on your success with your book, too. I’ll be watching tomorrow.” His voice broke. He gave me an abrupt, almost desperate hug and then hurried from the room.

  I leaned against Cam for another moment before he picked up my bag and we left for the airport.

  All Fore Revenge

  Chapter 24

  New York City was, as I’d always heard, loud, busy, and rude. To an extreme. Factoring in our very late night arrival and my propensity for nodding off at any given moment, I felt thoroughly out of my element by the time Cam led me into the luxurious room Carol had reserved for us. Luckily, it was close by the studio we’d have to be at very early the next m
orning.

  At least, I hoped it was nearby. I was so confused and sleepy, I fell dead asleep on the bed while Cam showered. When he curled around me, I barely stirred. He was eager to pick up where we’d left off when Bill interrupted us earlier, but I could barely speak.

  “’S’okay,” I told him. “I’m wakin’ up. Jus a minute. Kay?”

  His rousing me what seemed like only a few minutes later was actually a wake up call.

  “Ali. Baby. It’s morning.”

  “No. It’s not.” It couldn’t be. No way could I still be that tired, if it was morning. “Let me sleep more.”

  “Baby. You have to get up so you can go on TV. Remember?”

  Shit. TV equalled instant nerves equalled nausea, equalled run for the bathroom. Quick!

  Cam was a step ahead and had already managed to get orange juice from room service. He handed me the glass to sip from several times during my shower.

  “Maybe I should call in. I’m sick. They’ll fill the spot with… somebody.”

  “Yeah right. After you flew across the country with gunshot wounds, call in because you’re sleepy?”

  “You’re right. Carol would kill me, and she’s not the killing kind. Hey, tongue twister. Carol the kindly killer,” I giggled, deliriously nervous. “Oh shit. Tell me something calming.” I turned off the water and accepted the towel Cam handed me once he’d looked me up and down.

  “I want your body.”

  “Well, that might take my mind off things, I guess. Still can’t breathe right, but…”

  He cut me off with a feather light kiss. His hand stole down to my tummy, where he’d been looking before the kiss.

  “What? Oh, I know. It’s growing, huh?” Another kiss made it apparent that while my nerves were better off, we might not make it out of the room on time. “Um. I guess I’d better start getting ready. Sweetie, I’m sorry about last night. I wanted to, I just…”

  “It’s okay. You were pretty wiped out. And it’s too soon for us to get to the point where you just lie there.” His smile said he loved me. The day was getting better.

  And then the dress I’d brought to wear wouldn’t zip. It wasn’t just the bust that was too small. My hips and waist had already grown too much.

  “Jesus, Jesus. Why didn’t I try it on yesterday?” I wailed. “Fucking Bill, interrupting me when I was packing!” My stomach lurched again. “Oh God. National TV and all I have to wear are jeans and a tunic, or yesterday’s wrinkled travel clothes. If it wasn’t so early I could shop. Oh, Jesus.”

  “Can you still fit in the jeans?”

  I could, thankfully. And Cam convinced me that it was a daytime show during the summer rock series, so the tunic and jeans were fine. The jeans were quite snug, filled out with round hips I didn’t normally have. But it was my big old boobs that stole the show, jutting out the top of my mama-size bra. I felt like I’d traded in my figure for someone else’s. But it looked good, I decided. Especially with the high wedge sandals.

  “Okay. So this is… okay?” I asked him, repeatedly, on the cab ride down to the studio.

  *

  Carol assured me I looked great when we arrived at the studio. “Oh Honey, you’re glowing! Oooh, this must be the inspiration for all that romance you write,” she cooed, indicating Cam.

  “Carol, we just met in…”

  “Oh, I don’t need the details, Dear. He’s a hottie. Hi Hottie, I’m Carol.”

  “CJ. His name is CJ.”

  “Sure it is,” she fluttered absently, making a Cam sandwich of him between us in the elevator. “I sent Katie a copy of Love on the Back Nine and she read it and loves it. She’ll do your interview, Dear. The important thing is, give everyone a reason to buy it. Tease them, promise to please them.”

  “Carol, you sound like a Guns-n-Roses song,” I giggled nervously.

  She dropped us in the Green Room, which was surprisingly green, a soothing shade at that, where I paced. Cam paced with me, trying to keep me calm.

  Then his phone rang. “Hello? Oh, hi Mom.”

  Mom? I’d never heard him talk to his mom. My interest was officially piqued.

  “Yeah, we’re here. I think in about ten minutes.”

  Ten? I almost wet myself. Wait, she knew I was going on TV? And she’d be watching? Oh, shit!

  “Okay. She’s been real nauseous.” He looked at me and his brows pulled lower. “I’m gonna go, Mom. Yeah, maybe this weekend after we get back. Tell Dad hi, and advise him to check out her knockers.” He laughed then, because his mother was screaming at him about all men being pigs. “Love you, Mom.”

  “Why did you tell them?” I gasped.

  “They’ve been dying to have more grandkids since Em was born…”

  “Not that! Why’d you tell them I’m going on TV? What if I have to talk about, oh my God! I haven’t even met your mother and I have to admit on national TV to committing adultery with her son. While she watches! What will she think? Some first impression!”

  All the calming he’d accomplished had just disintegrated. I felt the shaking coming, and sat with my head between my knees.

  “Baby. I’m proud of you. You didn’t do anything wrong. Did you? No,” he answered for me. “You’re gonna be great. And Emily’s been talking about you to Mom for weeks. She knows about stuff we probably don’t. Em’s got us married with eight kids. Hey,” he smiled happily, bending low enough to see my face, “I guess you wouldn’t care about what my mom thinks, if you didn’t plan to make a thing of us.”

  “Cam!” I sat up fast enough to get a headrush. Of course I planned to make a “thing” of us. I loved him. I’d told him so last weekend. But he hadn’t believed me.

  A crazy feeling came over me, a certainty I’d never felt before in my life. Man, if I was a churchgoer, the angels would have been going into their chorus. Every moment of every day in my life had led me there, to that place at that time. It dawned on me that this is true for every moment of life. So, each moment is bigger than the last. I needed to start living like that. No more regrets or worries about the past. The past was over, baby, gone. Like the kids say, so yesterday. Time to look forward.

  “Ya know what?” I said, taking his just-shaved face between both of my hands. “After Today, you’ll never wonder what I’ve got planned for us again.”

  Carol came back in then, tittering and telling me it was time, I needed to head out. Before I left, I kissed Cam full and deep, and left him standing there next to Carol, who blushed from her chubby cheeks to her plump ankles.

  There wasn’t a nervous bone in my body when I followed the assistant past makeup to have my face powdered, and then out to the stage.

  “Try not to freak, but Katie had to leave, so Matt’s using her notes for your interview,” a cute little redhead told me.

  “Oh. Okay.” Well, that was a change, but no big deal. Not anymore.

  I was told to sit in an armchair opposite Matt, who was hurrying to read over Katie’s notes.

  When cued, he smiled at the appropriate camera and said, “Wow! Great performances down there this morning. That was just one of many performers for our Summer Concert series. Here with me now is writer Alison Smyth, who’s been in the news a lot this summer. Her last novel, Love on the Back Nine,” he held the book up, “is headed for best seller. Good morning, Alison.”

  “Hi Matt!” I was so perky and smooth, not a trace of morning-sickness around.

  “Wow, I have to say, you look great.” He looked me up and down and I told myself this was not happening. Matt was not flirting with me on live TV. “We weren’t sure you’d be able to make it. We had word yesterday that you’d been shot.”

  This I had not expected. “Actually yes, Tuesday evening. No serious injuries, though,” I tittered.

  “You were shot… where?” he asked, looking up and down again. Only a small bruise remained on my temple from the pistol-whipping.

  “Colorado,” I quipped. Camera guys and Al laughed out loud, and Matt chuckled. “It
was only a twenty-two caliber pistol. It went in right here,” I said, pointing to my tummy, “and out right here.” I turned so he, and hopefully not the cameras, could see the bandage just above the waist of my jeans.

  “That’s one really nice… bandage.” More laughter, and I felt myself blush. “Only a twenty-two, you say? Are romance writers accustomed to being shot?”

  “Not this one!”

  “What happened?”

  “I’m under strict orders from my agent to say that it’ll be fully explained in my next book.”

  More chuckles.

  “Ah, Alison.” Matt’s eyes sparkled at my mischief. “Now, I apologize, but I haven’t read your book. Yet,” he added. “Katie loved it, by the way, and I’ve flipped through a few scenes. I was honestly surprised at how racy it is. I expected romance to be… shall we say, tame.”

  “That’s the old days, Matt. Today’s woman wants her entertainment spicy. Like a movie. And realistic. Honestly, I just don’t see many women relating to virgin brides these days.” I leaned close to him and said, conspiratorially, “I don’t think the nuns read many romances, do you?”

  He smiled and licked his teeth. “So. Speaking of spicy. We all got an eye- and earful from you at the golf tournament in Charleston. Given the wildly romantic nature of your day, how did your evening come to such an explosive ending?”

  “Well, that’s between Bill and me, really.” I smiled, going for coy.

  “Don’t you think he pulled all of us in, though, and invited us to be interested in his personal life by so openly flaunting your love affair during a televised tournament? And then giving you that two-carat ring?”

  “For the record, it’s three carats, not two. Set in platinum,” I smiled proudly. “Bill did all those things to help our struggling relationship, not to promote golf or give everyone at home a reason to like him. He’s a romantic.” I took a deep breath, and then I said, “And I regret making our break-up as boisterous as I did. I’d like to apologize here and now to him for the things I said that night.” I looked at what I hoped was the right camera and said, “Sorry, Bill.”